Stitches
by Farmer Kyle
Summary: For a history project, Ichigo travels to Fuyuki City to gather local information after an awry Hollow attack destroys the school. He heads to Ryuudou Temple to learn of its history, only to stumble into a secret war that has been waged for almost two centuries. This is the story of a boy trying to find his place in the world, and the girl who stitches the pieces back together.
1. Chapter 1

Stitches

By: Farmer Kyle

******A/N: Hello all! Farmer Kyle here. Now you all may be wondering why I've started a new story when I should be working on ****__****Left Hand of the Death God******** and ****__****Champion's Route********. Truth of it all is that I've been stuck in a rut with both of them. I've got a bunch of disconnected scenes written down for both, but it's trying to get it all into something cohesive that's been the hard part. And that's ignoring the fact that most of my time has been spent job hunting, getting everything packed up and ready to move, and a handful of family problems. But I've got a job now, so while I may not have as much time to write, that's one less thing for me to worry about.**

******But back to the point, I took up this and a couple other challenges set out by The Infamous Man to get my brain working again. Given how much we've collaborated over this, ****__****Stitches ********is likely to be my fastest updated story. But expect updates to still be random.**

******Lastly, I'd like to thank all my fans for putting up with me, and for all the Favs and Follows.**

******Good Luck in Life and Writing!**

**Disclaimer: ****I own neither Bleach, Fate/stay night, or Fate/Apocrypha. They are owned by Tite Kubo, Kinoko Nasu, and Yuichiro Higashide respectively. Inspired by music by Switchfoot, which I do not own. Also, this is written in answer to a challenge made by author, The Infamous Man. Also beta'd by him, thanks TIM!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Just Another Desperation

* * *

"Alright you lot, settle down!" our history teacher told us, trying to get our attention. Well, he had my attention, but the rest of the students were busy chatting with their friends about what they would do during the two-week winter break, Christmas, and New Year's. It was the last class of the last day of school before it, so I'm not that surprised.

Not that I didn't have friends, but lately we seemed to be drifting apart. Not that I blamed them or anything, we simply couldn't do the same things we used to.

The teacher, a rather plain man who fit the stereotype of the Japanese man, black hair, around 5 foot, and wearing a white, long-sleeve button-down with dress pants, waited a few seconds as the class of second-year students quieted down. "As I'm sure you already know, the winter break is next week. But don't think that gives you a reason to slack, as I have an assignment for you that will be due your first day back."

The class groaned, myself included, at the news. Bad enough we had homework on regular days, but on our break too? A few students openly complained.

"Quiet down! Complaining about it won't change anything. Now, your assignment over the break will be to research a city or area that you will each pick randomly from this." The teacher picks up a small bowl that was on his desk. With his other hand he picks up and shows a slip of paper that had been in the bowl. I can barely see from my place in the classroom that something is written on it. "When I call your name, you will each come up and take one of these. On it will be the subject of your assignment."

The man then proceeded to call us up.

"Kurosaki, Ichigo."

Forgot to introduce myself now that I think about.

I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, I have red-orange hair, I'm seventeen and a second-year high school student in Karakura High School.

I also can't see ghosts. I used to, but not anymore. I gave up my powers to stop a madman who wanted to kill everyone in Karakua, my home. But more importantly, I did it to save my friends and family.

It's why my friends Chad, Orihime, and, as much as we deny being friends, Uryu have grown apart some. They still have they're spiritual powers and use them to fight the corrupted souls of the dead, the Hollows. It wasn't any big horrific split, we just grew apart. I've had to pick my life up from where'd I left it in order to fight, and Chad was doing what he was doing with Inoue and Ishida. It was no one's fault, my friends were just part of a world that I didn't belong in anymore. Hanging out with them would cause me to wonder, or it would put me in danger.

Because I can't fight with them anymore. I'm just a bystander now, a potential victim. Especially from invisible monsters that ate souls; some of which were the size of large houses and each had uniquely gruesome powers of their own.

I can't say I'm sad or complaining about it. Ever since I realized I could see ghosts back then, and later got my Shinigami powers, I'd always wished I could be normal. And now I am; just another high school student trying to get good grades to get into a good college so that I can get a good job.

It was all fine, in its own way. I don't miss the annoying buzz of ghosts as they follow me everywhere.

I don't miss the horrible and terrifying fights that I myself through, gambling my own life that I could win. I certainly don't miss being a Soul Reaper at all; it was a thankless job, why would I miss it? The robes were stupid, the rules were stupider, and I did it for free to boot! And most of the time I hardly got any 'thank you's, if anything I was told I screwed things up some way or the other.

My family and home are safe, at least for the most part. My debt to Rukia paid. In fact, she and the entire world _owed me_, not that anyone will admit it.

Truly, being a Soul Reaper was a thankless job.

So what if me and my friends had grown apart? So what if I hadn't heard a peep from the Seiretei since I saved them from their own problems? It was almost funny, but even Urahara seemed to have disappeared, not that I had gone to see him or anything. I certainly hadn't tried to find his "candy shop", only to find an abandoned lot. I haven't even seen any annoying black cats or perverted stuffed lions in a long time. So what?

So why do I feel so angry and lost?

* * *

"Hey Ichigo, wait up!" I heard from behind me. It was after school and everyone was heading home to enjoy the two-week break.

I stop and turn to see one of my oldest friends, Tatsuki Arisawa, running up to me. She hadn't changed all that much, other than how she wore her hair. Instead of stopping at the back of her neck, her hair now was reaching her shoulders. It was also a little less spiky. Though I would never say it, I thought it looked nice.

"Yeah? What do ya want?" I ask her when she catches up before walking again.

"You don't have to make it sound like a hassle you jerk!" she yells at me, but I know she isn't really mad. It's just how we got along. "I just wanted to know what you were doing over break."

"Eh." came my grunted reply, shrugging my shoulders too for emphasis. "I don't know. Figured I'd work on that project Mr. Soto gave us for most of it."

"Errr, damn that man!" Tatsuki growled out, beyond annoyed at the teacher. "He WOULD give us homework on a holiday! And making it count a quarter of our grade too!" She takes a few breathes to calm down. "What did you end up with anyway? I got Sapporo."

"Some place called Fuyuki City. You ever hear of it?" I'd never heard of it until today.

Tatsuki looked at me incredulously. "Seriously? Don't you remember there was that huge fire ten years ago that destroyed most of the city? A lot of people died and it was all over the news!"

"Oh." It was the only thing I could think to say.

"Don't 'oh' me! I swear, you're the most forgetful person I know! It's a miracle that you get such good grades!" Tatsuki huffs in annoyance. "Anyway, don't spend all of break by yourself. I'm getting everyone together for a New Year's Eve party."

"Yeah, yeah." We had reached where we would have to split up to get home, and I had already started walking the other way.

"Seriously Ichigo! I haven't really seen you outside of school, even though you-" Tatsuki cuts herself off.

I stop and turn around. I can see the worry on Tatsuki's face. But all I feel is a burst of anger. My scowl deepens and my brow crinkles in a glare.

"I don't need you watching out for me." My anger is obvious, and soon Tatsuki is returning it with her own.

"Fine then jerk! Spend the whole break alone for all I care!" she yelled back before storming off.

I stand there for a few more seconds, watching her, before I too head home. Not even a minute goes by before I'm hating myself.

"Damn-it."

* * *

The next few days I spent mostly in my room, stewing in my own guilt and self-loathing about what happened with Tatsuki and researching Fuyuki City.

Gotta love Wikipedia. It makes preliminary research easy.

Fuyuki City was an interesting mix between modern metropolis and classical suburbia. In fact, the said metropolis was mostly ten years old, the build up of the urban half of Fuyuki starting then. This of coarse led to me finding information about The Great Fuyuki Fire, specifically a newspaper article of a local Fuyuki group.

"The fire destroyed a square mile of the city, centered at what used to be the Fuyuki Municipal Hall. Eyewitness accounts claim the fire was 'unnatural' and that the scene was 'hell on earth'. There is still no accurate estimate of how many died, but is estimated that the death toll is within two to four-hundred. There were only thirty or so survivors, children all around the age of five, and were sent to the intensive care ward of Fuyuki Medical Hospital. All thankfully made a full recovery after weeks of treatment and were soon adopted. The cause of the fire is even more of a mystery. Officially it is listed as a gas leak, but speculation has gone from volcanic activity from nearby Mt. Enzou to terrorist activity. But given the accounts of unsolved kidnappings and murders before the fire, the terrorist theory has been given some merit..."

* * *

Christmas and the following week passed by quickly. Christmas was as lively for my family as ever, with Goat-chin, I refuse to admit someone that immature is my father, acting even more ridiculous than usual and Yuzu going along and feeding his ego. But with me and Karin on damage control we were able to keep the silliness to a minimum.

But soon enough it was New Year's Eve, and I found myself at Tatsuki's party. We had apologized earlier that week and I had agreed to come then. But anyway, the party. Really it was just me, Tatsuki, Orihime, Chad, Uryuu, Mizuiro, and Keigo drinking sodas and eating some pizzas while we waited for the New Year counter to go down. Orihime brought her own toppings and was trying to get us to try some of her combinations. Chizuru at some point crashed the party and began trying to woo her 'goddess', Orihime. Something about 'getting a head start on her New Year resolution'. Tatsuki was keeping the grabby girl away from Orihime with the usual level of force, enough to hurt but not cause injury. Mizuiro brought his latest girlfriend to the party, so was mostly sticking to her. Keigo was trying to convince all of us to play cards. Chad, me, and Uryuu were standing by the drinks, partly to make sure Keigo or Chizuru didn't get any ideas to lighten up the party and partly because we weren't wanting to do anything else.

I used the chance to catch up with them, and to see if they'd say anything about how the spiritual side of things had been lately. They didn't tell me anything of course, like always. Ever since I lost my powers they had avoided any kind of conversation involving spirits, even Orihime. It was like they didn't think I could handle it, regardless that a year ago I'd been right there with them. I always worry now if they're alright, if they'll come back from a fight. I know Orihime can heal just about anything, and I know they can all handle themselves, but I can't help but worry now that I'm not there to help them.

I give up after a few tries, grab a fresh soda from the cooler, and head over to Keigo. "I'll play ya."

Keigo lit up in his usual exuberance. "Alright! I shall defeat you Ichigo with my super fast, super awesome hand skills!" Holding up his fist and posing like he was in an anime.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him. Well, except Orihime. It looked like she had gone off on one of her tangents. Something about 'zombie sentai'.

The brunette noticed the sudden quiet and stopped posing, looking around at us confused. "What?"

Besides Chizuru, who was blushing and staring intently at us, and Orihime, who was now mumbling about 'villainous cyber-sheriffs', everyone just shook their heads and turned back to what they were doing.

Keigo looks to me. "Do you know what that was about Ichigo? I've just gotten really good at Hanafuda."

I just shake my head. "Don't worry about it."

"What? I want to know now!"

"Just deal."

"Fine! I'll just beat you and make you tell me!"

Five minutes later and I've beaten Keigo 3 times, the brunette exaggerating his loss on the floor.

Eventually we're all surrounding the TV, soba noodles ready as we watch the last minute countdown of the Watched-Night bell. Just as it reaches 30 seconds though, Uryuu, Chad, and Orihime shoot out of their seats, saying they needed to leave but not why. Not that it was a great secret, everyone here but Mizuiro's girlfriend knew they had to leave because of Hollows. I can't say I'm surprised, I hadn't heard of any 'gas leaks' since the break had started.

And here I almost thought Hollows respected the holidays.

They're still not back when the clock hits zero. I look around as everyone yells out "Happy New Year!", and the bell starts ringing, I just can't agree. How can I feel happy when I feel so empty and lost?

* * *

The next morning at home, I find out just what happened last night.

"A horrible way to start the new year, though some students may disagree. Karakura High School was half destroyed sometime early this morning during all the festivities. Much of the facilities and buildings have caved in on themselves. Thankfully, there has been no sign that anyone was caught in what officials are calling another gas leak..."

* * *

I was walking home from the library when I here the shout. "Hey ICHIGO!", As soon as I hear the yell I'm already going through the motions of turning around to punch the guy I can hear running up to me. Keigo of course runs straight into my fist and collapses onto the sidewalk

"Owowowowowow!" he cries, holding onto his face. He immediately jumps back up, no worse for wear. "How come you always do that! I thought we were friends!" He points and yells at me acusingly.

"Idiot," I mutter under my breath, before turning back and walking home.

Keigo, not giving up, runs up beside me. "How can you always do this to me so casually? We're supposed to be friends! Traitor!" the brown-haired boy lamented dramatically as tears streak down his face.

"You're fine though, right?" I ask him, not even bothering to look at him.

"That's not the point! I have feelings too you know! The way you so casually ignore and abuse me, it's horrible!"

"So how are things?" I ask him.

"Great mostly! Did you hear about the school? We won't have to go back for another month now! I mean, I guess I feel bad that the school was destroyed, but another free month..." here Keigo drifted off, and from the look on his face, it seemed like he was trying to decide if the school getting destroyed was a good or bad thing.

After a few seconds, Keigo shakes his head. "Whatever. Anyway, you want to hangout?" he asks.

My reply is immediate. "No."

The boy looks heartbroken at my casual denial. "Aw come on! You didn't even think about it!"

"We have that project from history, remember?" I remind him.

Now Keigo looks outraged. "Are you serious?! You're telling me you'd rather work on some stupid school project that's not due for another month instead of hanging out with your friend?!"

"Yeah."

"Traitor! I thought I had gotten you past this nerd thing Ichigo! Honestly, how can you be such a tough guy punk and still be a huge ner-" Keigo's whining was put to an end by my fist.

"Idiot." I mutter again. "I'll see ya later." I tell him as he once again exaggerated his pain.

* * *

That evening, dinner was more subdued than usual, meaning Goat-chin wasn't acting like a seven year-old, so it was what most people would call normal.

"You have all the luck Ichigo. I can't believe you get another month off and me and Yuzu have to go to school." Karin grouched around her chopsticks.

"Karin, you shouldn't talk with your mouth full!" Yuzu reprimanded her sister. "And I don't think it's good at all! What if Ichi-nii falls behind, or worse, gets held back!" The sandy-blonde worried.

"Oh Misaki, our boy is going to be held back by things beyond his control! What a cruel twist of fate!" Isshin, or Goat-chin as I prefer, wailed to the memorial poster of my and my sister's mother. I knew he'd goof eventually.

"Quit overreacting Yuzu, I really doubt Ichigo is going to be held back. He'll probably just have to go to school for an extra month or cram." reasoned Karin, before swatting at something beside her. Probably another spirit. She still has her powers, so they crowd her now instead of me. I pretend I don't notice, mostly because Yuzu is still in the dark about it all, but since Karin hasn't asked me about anything, I guess she's got it under control.

"Oh, I suppose that's true..." Yuzu relents after thinking it over.

"Our boy is saved Misaki!" cried out Goat-chin.

"Can it and eat old man!" Karin told him, prompting our dad to come back to the table to eat.

A few minutes of fairly quiet eating goes by before Yuzu decides to turn the conversation to me. "So Ichi-nii, what do you plan on doing for the next month?" she asks earnestly.

I'm quiet for a bit as I consider what all I had been thinking of the last few weeks, and recently with the school being destroyed. "I'm actually thinking of leaving Karakura for a bit, take a vacation." I told my family.

For awhile now I've felt off, lost. I'm really just going through the motions most of the time. Besides, don't people in movies and stories go travel when they're looking for something? I'm trying to find out what I want to do with my life, so that counts, right?

There was no immediate response. Karin looks surprised, and that seemed to be all. Yuzu was also surprised, but I could tell she was parts worried and excited. Dad actually looked serious for once, but after I kept eye contact with him, it passed, his face matching Yuzu's. I got his message though, he wanted to talk sometime tonight without Karin or Yuzu to overhear.

Karin broke the silence. "Really? How come Ichigo?"

Yuzu's eyes widened as she tried to guess could be the cause for my trip. "Is something wrong Ichi-nii?" the concern in her voice made me guilty for worrying her, regardless that I hadn't intended to.

And while my life wasn't quite where I thought it would be, I wasn't going to tell her that. "Everything's fine Yuzu." I feel worse for lying to her now. "I'm actually doing it for a school project I got just before break."

That seemed to have calmed her down, as her face eased and filled with curiosity. "Oh? What kind?"

"It's a history project. We picked a random city or area and have to do a fairly detailed report on it. I got Fuyuki City. Thought I'd use the extra month to get some local input." I tell her.

"Sounds cool." Karin replies. "When are you leaving?"

"Tommor-" I'm cut off when I feel myself gathered up in some kind hug. A hug from hell that is. When did that old goat get behind me?

"Oh my son! You're going out in to the world and making it your own! I'm so proud of you!" I nearly went deaf from Goat-chin yelling in my ear.

"Get off of me you moron!" I yell back, struggling to break my dad's grip on me.

"Haha! Never!" he shouted with a smile. I knocked it right off his face with a headbutt. "Gah!" he cried, letting go in favor of cradling his bleeding nose.

"Grow up for once!" I yell, grabbing him by the waist before tossing us out into the living room. I didn't want to ruin Yuzu's dinner more than it already had with Goat-chin's antics.

Just before I became too involved with fighting dad, I heard Karin sigh. "Yuzu, could you pass me the sauce?"

* * *

"So what's this all about Ichigo?"

Me and dad had tussled around for another ten minutes before the girls went to their rooms. We went over to the clinic area of our house to talk.

I sigh, trying to come up with the best way to put this. "I really do have that project." I pause a bit to think what I should say next. "I just feel... lost, I guess. Everything here reminds me of what I gave up."

Things are quiet for almost a minute, and I'm thinking of something to say when Isshin speaks up. "Do you regret what you did?" he asks me, eyes serious.

Rage explodes in me and I snarl, "NO!" I yell at him. All the frustration with my friends boils up; how they'd been keeping me out of the loop, the Seireitei seemingly disappearing, Uhrahara. All of it. I'm seeing red. I don't even realize I've thrown a punch at dad until he catches it.

His grip is a steel trap, and as my vision clears I see his eyes are the same. I stare at him, heaving breathes as I cool down. "I'd never regret that." I get out breathlessly. "I just feel useless now." I bow my head in shame. Not at what I'd admitted, well, partly, but in that I'd almost hit my dad. Sure we fight all the time, but that was just how we did things.

All I had wanted to do now was hurt him, badly. He's my dad, family. It shouldn't have come to this.

I hear my dad sigh, and he let's go of my hand. Before I can look up he's got me in a hug again, instead this one wasn't nearly as tight and I'm not sure I want to get out of it.

"It's alright Ichigo." He tells me. Nothing more, but it wasn't needed. I knew what he meant, oddly enough. "I went through the same. It's tough, being so limited. But you can do just as much good without those powers. Why do you think I became a doctor? I still wanted to save lives, so I made due with what I had." His hands move to my shoulders and pushes me out, and I look up at him. "I know you Ichigo, you'll get through this." And seeing the assurance in his eyes, I couldn't help but believe him.

"Thanks... and sorry." I mumble looking away.

"Ha!" Isshin quietly barks out. "You may be tough like your old man," he lets go of me to point his thumbs at himself. I scoff at him, he looks pretty stupid. My dad ignores me, "but you've got Misaki's heart. She could go from loving wife to angry she-devil sometimes, especially if she was worrying."

I couldn't really think of anything to say to that, so I just nod.

Dad just nods back, seeing the matter finished. "Now then, I'm fine with you leaving for the month. It'll be a good chance to expand your horizons. But how did you plan on paying for this trip of yours?" He asks, quirking his eyebrow as if it was needed.

I take a breath, calming myself, before I answer. "I've been hiring myself out to the sports teams at school." I had started doing it at the beginning of the school year, just to have some spending money. But since I didn't want to actually join any of the teams, they kept paying me to practice and compete. I'd saved quite a bit to even put some toward college, while the rest I kept for a rainy day.

"Ah yes, those accounts I helped you open!" Isshin replied, remembering. I was a still minor, so I needed a cosigner with a credit history. "Not to worry son, I shall loan you the money for transportation and wherever you might stay."

Oh no, I know that tone. I guess mature Dad couldn't last long. So now I have ask why, not that I'm not grateful. "Let me guess, you want a souvenir?" Not the most outrageous of things he's asked for, I could probably get something for everyone.

Goat-chin makes himself look stage surprised. Wide eyes and his hand over his mouth while he gasped. "Aha! Your detective skills are impressive son! Yes, something awesome would be most appropriate! And something cute for your sisters!" I really doubt Karin would want anything cute, but Yuzu would probably like a stuffed animal. I think I remember reading that Fuyuki had a large store full of them. At least the old man hadn't asked something stupid.

"You should also save that money for any cute girl you meet there! Please bring back my future third daugh-GAH!" Goat-chin's face? Meet my fist.

"Night Dad."

* * *

By 10AM the next day, I've packed enough clothes to last me a couple weeks. I'll find a laundromat close to the hotel I'll be at. Dad's already set up the reservation, easy given that most of the holiday guest have left, and paid for the month. I also have enough fare on me for a round-trip train ticket. But before we leave for the station, my family insisted on seeing me off, I decided to call Tatsuki to let her know I'll be gone.

Taking out my cell, I find Tatsuki's name in it and hit the 'call' button. After a few rings, she picks up.

"Yo, Ichigo. What'cha calling for?"

"Hey Tatsuki. Just wanted you to know I'll be in Fuyuki the rest of the month."

"What?! WHY?!" she yells at me, and again I'm almost made deaf. Twice in two days, I hope this isn't a trend.

I switch my phone to the other ear. "Figured I'd go the extra mile for that project." I think I earned a tease after almost losing an ear.

"Ichigooooo..." she growls out, and I can't help but chuckle.

"Alright, alright." I relent, then sigh. "I just need to get away for awhile, figure things out."

Well, she stopped growling. But now she's quiet.

"You'll be back after the month?" she asks.

"Yeah. Maybe not exactly a month, but I'll be back before school starts up." I assure her.

"Well... Alright, but be careful crybaby." I can imagine the smirk on her face saying that.

She wanted to play that game? What wouldn't she expect? "Sure... cutie." Did I really just say that?

I hear my best friend stutter, trying to come up with something, I picturing her flustered and gibbering is too much. I laugh.

"Grrr! That's it, you owe me a souvenir Kurosaki!" Despite growling at me, Tatsuki didn't sound mad at me.

"Yeah, yeah." I reply, still chuckling a little.

"I mean it!"

"Yeah. Be sure to tell everyone else too, please?" I ask her.

"You'll owe me TWO souvenirs then." she replies, sounding smug.

I smile. "As you wish... Hime-sama"

"GRRRR! Screw you Kurosaki!" she yells at me, but I just laugh.

Eventually though, the humor overcomes her annoyance and she snickers a little. After we both calm down, she starts talking.

"It's good to hear you lightening up, Ichigo."

"Yeah?"

After a bit of neither of us talking, I decide its time to get going.

"I'll talk to ya later Tatsuki. Be sure to let everyone else know, alright?"

"Sure Ichigo. Have a nice trip!"

I hang up, feeling better than I have in a long time. I guess this trip was a good idea after all.

* * *

The trip to Fuyuki City hadn't taken as long as I thought it would. While I had needed to transfer in Kobe, the whole trip had taken only two hours. Being noon by then, I stop at the first fast food place I find and grab a quick meal before trying to find my hotel. Eating on the go, I find the place after half an hour of looking. Thankfully I'm early for my check in, so I'm only at the receptionist's desk for a few minutes. I grab one of those free maps that are laid out for tourists, so I can at least pretend I know where I'm going. But as I stand there going over the map, I overhear a conversation by passing guests.

"I can't believe there are so many people in the hospital. I didn't think gas leaks were so dangerous."

"Right? And if that weren't bad enough, some murderer is out there eating people's hearts!"

"That heart eating thing is just a rumor..."

I can't help but think that's all oddly familiar.

I get my key though, and put the matter off for later. After taking an elevator up to the 5th floor, I get out and search for room 504. It's not far, and when I get in I find a decent room. Seems Dad decided to splurge, because I've got a huge bed and... wine? Great, Goat-chin is trying to get me hooked up.

After dealing with THAT, I see what I've got in here. Nightstand with lamp, phone, and clock; small dresser and closet; a mini-fridge with a coffee maker on top of it; and a cabinet with a TV in it. There's also a small table tucked in the far corner of the room with a couple chairs. A door leading to the bathroom is across from the table, the both of them framing a fairly large window that shows a view of the street the hotel is on. Lastly, there was a folding door closet to my left.

I set my suitcase of clothes by the closet and my duffel bag with my work on the bed. Checking my watch I see that it's 1:33. Guess I'll get a jump on the project.

Zipping the duffel open, I root around trying to find my notes. What I find first though stops me dead. The shape and feel of it are familiar, and when I pull it out I find my Substitute's Badge in my hand.

It's only a useless slab of clay or whatever now. Ever since I lost my powers, all its abilities stopped working. I guess I had forgotten I had put it in here at some point.

It's proof that I was a Shinigami, the only proof I have left.

I set it aside, and grab the notebook I've been using to keep track of everything I've learned so far. After skimming them, I find I have little information on a place called the "Ryudou Temple". Supposedly it was founded by some dragon-god or something. Again, I had very little information about the place. Looking at the map, I find it's on the other side of the city. I check my watch again, 1:45. Might as well.

Making sure I also grabbed one of the pens I'd thrown in my duffel bag, I made sure I had everything I needed. Notebook, pen, wallet, keycard for room in wallet, cell phone. I make my way over to the door when I turn back around, eying the badge on my bed.

"Guess it doesn't hurt to have a good luck charm." I grab the badge and put it in my pocket. Then I was out the door.

* * *

"Why am I not surprised?" I ask myself standing before the entrance of Ryudou Temple.

I had decided to walk to the temple, mostly because I wasn't familiar enough with the buses here yet. Eventually I found the bridge that divided the commercial and residential areas of Fuyuki, and from there it was a straight-forward walk to the temple. Overall it took about an hour, so it was close to 3PM now.

So it would figure that after an hour of walking, I'd find stairs. Lots of stairs. Lots and lots of stairs. I guess temple's followed the stereotype.

Deciding to suck it up, I crossed the first archway and felt the hair on my neck rise. I suddenly feel like I'm being watched. Looking around I see no one, but I've gone through enough to know... What am I saying? I really doubt I was being stalked by some soul eating monster.

I ignore the feeling and continue my climb.

* * *

It was almost the fifteenth hour when I finally decided to summon a Servant. Wait, that's not correct. Of course, I meant 3PM. It amazes me how little things like telling time or the ease of my soul stealing are things I still haven't quite gotten used to. But I suppose that will be something I can work on with Souichirou-sama during our life together. Hehe!

My future life with Master aside, last night I had determined that I should be able to summon a Servant of my own, being a Magus. It would give me, and thus Souichirou-sama, an advantage in numbers. But with my fortifications to the mountain and my own "temple", along with this being a nexus for the local leylines, the temple was a fortress. And every fortress needs a guard.

I started the incantation, my skill High-Speed Divine Words reducing much of the hassle of the summoning ritual. But I would still need to focus on the intent of the spell, so any distraction may cause it to fail.

"**Kaléste Yp****-**" One of my perimeter spells tones out a warning, distracting me but a moment to who could be responsible. But it was enough, and the summoning array that had briefly appeared flickered away.

I huff at the annoyance, but it is no major delay. I would quickly get rid of the nuisance and summon my Servant after.

I begin a scrying spell, and soon an image of the intruder appears in my vision. Hmm... He seems to be a young man. The red hair is an oddity, based on what I have observed from the surrounding populace, but a minor detail. His od levels suggested no active Magic Circuits, meaning he was an ordinary human, but then he would have been turned away by the compulsion spells I had placed.

This bears further investigation, and so I alter the scrying spell for a more detailed look at the boy's soul.

"Oh... my..." I mutter to myself, stunned with what I find.

The boy's soul was so very worn, so used. Not in a bad way, no... It was like a well trained muscle that had atrophied or a worn sword nicked with scars. The boy's soul was used to power, he had most likely had some supernatural ability, but either lost the ability to use it or simply chose not to. And this was all ignoring the palpable well-spring of power further in. So much odic potential...

But the most interesting thing by far was the feel of his soul and potential power. It all reeked, was stained, by death. Not like with the necromantic arts, or even death dealing curses, but rather... the very presence? I couldn't place the feeling, but I knew one thing.

I must have it.

* * *

"Pheew, finally made it." It comes out breathy, given just how many stairs I climbed. At some point I started counting and had stopped caring around three-hundred.

But I had finally made it to the top. Passing the last archway and coming through the temple gate, I see a large courtyard. More a large open space with a path through it, ahead of me was the temple. I check my watch, 2:56. I hope I can find someone to talk to, I'd rather not to have made a wasted trip this far out.

Walking up to the temple door, I ring the bell off to the side for visitors. I hardly have to wait before the door is pulled aside to reveal a woman.

She had fairly pale, white skin, but not to the point it looked unhealthy, and long, blue hair fell to her shoulders that had a braid at the back. Seriously, blue hair? I know I get a lot of crap for my own red hair, but there was no way her's was natural. Her eyes were a shade of blue that almost seemed purple. She was wearing a sleeveless black blouse with a tied knot near her right hip, letting the left side fall to her waist. From there she had on a long beige skirt which reached down to her shins, the large buttons holding it up running down the left side.

I'm actually surprised. I only expected to find bald monks here.

"How may I help you sir?" she asks me. Her voice is smooth and deep in a way only confident women can achieve. She's a beautiful woman with a matching voice, and despite my experience with confident and powerful women, it takes me a moment to gather my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah..." I get my mind together. "I was wondering if I could speak to one of the monks here? I'm doing a project for school on Fuyuki City, and I'd like to learn about the temple."

She smiles sadly at me. "I'm sorry, no one is here right now. Is there anything I can do to help?"

I give a dejected sigh. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this place, would you?" I ask her, hoping she'd tell me something at least a little useful.

My hopes are dashed when she shakes her head. "I'm afraid I don't. I only recently moved here with my fiance." She smiles a bit after saying that, so I guess she's really in love with the guy.

But I can't help but feel at least a little happy for her. "Congratulations, is he one of the monks here?"

The woman smiles a bit wider. "Thank you. No, Souichirou-sama is a teacher whom lives here at the temple."

Interesting, but I suppose I should head back to the hotel. Maybe see the sights; I can get an early start tomorrow. "Well, thank you for your time miss. Sorry to have bothered you." I tell her.

"It was no trouble at all." she assures me. "I hope your work goes well."

"Thanks." I turn around as I say it. I wonder wha-

A rustle of clothe.

MOVE!

I suddenly jump and roll to the side, my instincts screaming at me to get out of the way of some threat. I hear a 'wooshing' sound from the direction I dodged from.

I turn to where I had been, and find the blue-haired woman now holding a dagger of some kind. It was iridescent and had three jagged points, shining brightly in the sunlight. But it was too thin, and probably brittle, to be used as a killing weapon.

"I'm not sure whether or not I should be annoyed that you dodged." She says, her voice having taken a dark turn to it.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I yell at her, keeping an eye on her. I don't know how fast she is, but I had been halfway between the temple door and the gate. I wasn't taking chances.

The woman chuckles darkly. "Isn't it obvious?" she asks, as if speaking to a child.

It was, but "Why?" I ask her. Why attack me?

"It's really quite simple, boy." Black... something gathers at her feet, moving and billowing about like fog but not expanding out. I'd almost call it reiatsu, but I wouldn't have been able to see that. It crawls up her form, enveloping her in a moment, covering her head to toe in a smokey darkness that's blacker than night. But as suddenly as it came it dispersed, vanishing like vapors, and revealing the woman once more. She's wearing purple and black robes now, an ornate golden clasp holding a cloak around her. It reminds me of a witch. Her head was now hidden in a shroud, only her mouth clearly seen. It's set in a wicked smile. "I want your soul."

Hearing that was actually nostalgic. How many Hollows told me the same thing? But I don't have powers anymore, and I doubt I can fight her off. I need to find a way to get out of here.

"You should pay more attention boy."

The witch, because what else could she be, was suddenly in front of me, the gleam of the dagger bright as it heads for my-.

My body reacts, but its still not fast enough. A move that would have caught the dagger before it struck my chest, instead just presents it a different target.

"HA-grrgh!" I grunt, stifling the yell I wanted to scream. The dagger is blunt, and it hurts all the more for it. Some blood lands on my face from the blow that my left hand "catches", more blood seeping from the wound. My hand is not so much pierced as it is the palm punctured. Picture a hole-punch with my hand being the paper, and you pretty much have the idea. But I'm used to pain, and clench my other hand into a fist.

"Oh? You contin-" I cut her off with a punch to the face. She gasps and staggers back, but given the fact my hand feels like I punched concrete, it's out of surprise that I retaliated. But I don't waste the opportunity and pull my injured hand off the witch's dagger. I make a break for the gate.

"**Αερο**."

But before I can even take a step, I'm blown off my feet by a gale. This time I do scream in pain as what feels like blades cut into me. I close my eyes and cover my head as best I can manage, hoping that it'll be enough to protect them from whatever spell or attack the witch used threw at me.

"Guh!" I crash into something hard and bounce off it to hit what I think is the floor. I lay flat on the dirt, bones aching, but nothing seems fractured or broken. My cuts though are further agitated, and searing pain encompasses me.

I slowly move my arm and open my eyes and spot the witch a meter away, her arm raised and hand facing at me.

"I'll make you pay for that boy!" she snarls at me. "You'll beg for death before I'm through, and I'll relish your cries as I tear out your soul!" Motes of pink light gather before her hand, collecting until they form a ball of light that will surely kill me, regardless what she says.

I was going to die.

For being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I was going to die. Powerless and alone, away from home, and for what? A school report?

"Screw that..." I growl out, slowly getting onto my hand and knees.

I get my legs under me, slowly getting back up. But I'm unsteady and lose my balance, falling back on the wall. I prop my right hand against it, finding a gouge to grip on. Probably came from whatever threw me into the wall. My side to the enemy, I turn my head left to glare at the woman.

She just stares back, or I assume she does, sneering at me. "Die." The light she'd been gathering shoots at me.

I wasn't going to go out like this! I hadn't come this far, given up what I had, just to die here! I didn't know what the future held for me, but I refuse to believe I was dying here.

"I'm not... DYING LIKE THIS!" I shout at her and the world, at anything that might listen, my defiance.

Something answers.

Crimson light explodes in front of me, engulfing the pink light. Looking down I find a circle filled with indistinct shapes and alien words, all glowing with a power that causes my skin to goose-bump. I try to find a source, and looking right under me I see the blood that's dripped under me to the ground is flowing into the circle.

"NO!" I hear the witch scream, and I look up in time to see the light flare brighter. "Impossible!"

The light continues to become brighter, and now the howl of rushing wind joins it as a whirlwind surrounds it, becoming faster and louder as it builds up.

A new pain erupts from my injured left hand, like it was burning. I take my eyes off what's in front of me and look at my hand. The top of the palm is glowing with the same light as the circle. Some sort of tattoo is taking shape.

But before I can tell what it is, the bloody light of the circle flares until its brightness rivals the sun. My eyes close before I'm blinded, but the light is too bright and it sears them.

The wind dies out, as does the light. Gone as suddenly as they appeared.

I open my eyes, but it takes a few moments for them to adjust. When I can see clearly, I find something that hadn't been there before.

Or rather someone.

Where the circle had been, stood a young girl. She couldn't have been older than Yuzu or Karin. In fact, she looked younger. Her hair was silvery and her eyes an icy blue that held... something that was beyond her youthful looks. She's also not that tall, probably only comes up to my chest, and slim, bordering on waif really. Her skin was nearly white, which made the leather she was wearing that much more noticeable.

She also wasn't wearing very much.

A modified black waistcoat, bordered in white here and there, was held in place by a belt around her collarbone and a belt wrapped just under her chest. Her hands and forearms were wrapped in bandages and two other belts were on each of her arms, seemingly for decoration. Oddly, she only wore one black glove, on her left hand. For her legs there were black, thigh-high boots, where from there black, white-bordered, ovular plates covered her outer thighs and hips.

But the most glaring thing for me was that she wore an incredibly revealing pair of matching black panties, the straps holding them in place little more than threads.

Quite frankly, she looked like she had come out of a fetish magazine. On the other hand, she also looked like a cute little girl. But before I could even think to say anything, she spoke.

"We are Servant Assassin. Are you our Master?"


	2. Chapter 2

Stitches

By: Farmer Kyle

**Disclaimer: ****I own neither Bleach, Fate/stay night, or Fate/Apocrypha. They are owned by Tite Kubo, Kinoko Nasu, and Yuichiro Higashide respectively. Inspired by music by Switchfoot and Flyleaf, which I own legal copies of, but not the intelligent rights, or something. Also, this is written in answer to a challenge made by author, The Infamous Man. Also beta'd by him, thanks TIM!**

* * *

Chapter 2: The Mist of War

* * *

If you had told me a few weeks ago that I'd be attacked by some kind of witch, I'd have probably come better prepared or not gone to Fuyuki at all. A year ago I was fighting spirit eating monsters and rogue death gods, so I'm no stranger to the supernatural. A witch is almost easy to believe; I could probably argue that she just has spiritual powers like my friends.

But this little girl(did she say her name was Assassin?), who obviously failed at dressing herself, appearing out of a flash of light and asking if I was her master? That I'm having a hard time believing true, and it just happened!

"Wha-what?" I ask, because I don't have a clue what she's talking about. I'm even questioning if I want to know, given her outfit.

"We were called, so we came. Are you our Master?" She explains and asks again, staring at me like that would give her the answer. For all I know, it just might.

"I am the one who called you, Assassin." came that blue-haired witch's voice. I look back at her and find she's calm. Odd, given that a moment ago she was raving that what ever just happened was 'impossible'.

"I had begun the incantation to summon you when this... boy, came and interrupted me. As I was getting ready to be rid of him, he somehow continued my interrupted ritual. While he may bear the Command Spells upon his hand, it is obvious that he is no magus. He could not have called you. I am your rightful Master." The woman tells the girl. I could almost feel the contempt when she called me 'boy'.

I have no idea what that witch is talking about, but I don't like where it's heading. So I interrupted something? How was I supposed to know? Even then, how could I have taken over something that I didn't know was there?

And while I had supposedly done those things, I wasn't going to let my side of things go unheard. "Oh yeah? How was I supposed to know what you were doing up here. You could have just let me go, but then you try to kill me for my soul? You're not exactly innocent either."

The girl was looking back and forth at each of us, her head tilted to the side and a finger to her mouth. Almost like she was trying to decide between two toys to get. It just emphasized the 'cute little girl' image she had. Finally though she settled on looking at the witch.

Worry wells up in me as the woman smiles. "Good. Now just let me take care of this nuisance and we'll see about formalizing the contract." She lifts her arm and a familiar ball of pink light appears. I glare at her and the light; if I really am dieing now, I'll do it facing death head-on.

The light launches, flying at me at a speed I can hardly comprehend. I close my eyes because of the glare.

Something hits my stomach, and I'm off the ground again. I guess the witch wants me to suffer some more.

Then I notice that the feeling on my stomach feels like an arm. Did someone grab me?

Suddenly I'm put on the ground sitting up. Opening my eyes, I have no idea who to expect. So I'm surprised to find the little girl.

"Are you alright, _Father_?" She asked me, and I was surprised by the care in her voice. Hadn't she brushed me off earlier? And the way she called me Father, it sounded like she said Master at the same time.

My cuts though remind me of their presence before I can answer her, and I take a sharp breath as my body twitches from the pain.

The girl's eyes widen in worry, as if only just now noticing the cuts. "We're sorry _Father_. Please hold on for a bit longer. We'll take care of it." she tells me softly. She bends down and kisses my cheek. "Everything will be alright now."

"How dare you! Why do you help that worthless boy! I am your rightful Master!" the witch yells at us. The girl's eyes turn cold at her voice, and she turns around to face the woman. It also allows me to see that we're at least 20 meters away from where we had been, on the other side of the temple grounds.

"We do not like you." She says to the witch, her voice devoid of any care. "You are not _Mother_." She declares firmly, Mother and Master somehow being said at the same time.

"Is that so, Assassin?" the witch asks, her smile wicked. "We shall see. You will be mine in the end, and I will make you kill that boy."

Forms start to rise up from the ground around me and the girl. But as the dirt falls, it's revealed what they are.

Skeletons made of navy blue bone, each made from the bones of a monster. Some have fewer ribs than the others, while others are more jagged or smooth. But all have a few similar features. None have a true skull, only jaws filled with sharp teeth. All have pointed elbows, and hands and feet with four toes and fingers. Each holds a sword of bone, one of every make and shape, few of these warriors hold the same blade. I have to wonder if some haunted house is looking for its props. Jokes aside, I'm worried. I can't defend myself in the state I'm in, and there's at least twenty or so of these skeletons here.

But before I can think of anything, they attack, looking to swarm me and the girl!

But the girl... that girl is fast. Really fast. One moment she's in front of me, the next she's drawn two of her four daggers and leaping at the nearest skeleton. How did I not notice the daggers before now? It breaks under the force, unable to withstand the girl's strength. Which means she's stronger than she looks too. She leaps to another one, closer to me, and destroys it as well.

The pattern repeats itself, over and over again, the girl never straying far from me. Always dodging an attack the skeletons make. But the bone warriors never seem to end. I doubt she'll be able to hold them off forever, and I guess the girl realizes this too after a minute,. So after destroying a few more skeletons, she lands next to me. But the skeletons continue their advance, shambling towards us.

"Don't move." she tells me, sheathing her daggers. Holding out her hand, fog appears around it for a moment and leaves. In her hand now is an antique looking iron lantern, a melted, unlit candle inside. She opens the lantern's shutter and reaches her free hand inside, touching the candle.

"_The Mist._" the girl intones, like the words were a prayer.

The candle lights, and fog begins to billow out from the bottom of the lantern. Quickly it spreads to surround us, thickening and turning black until all I can see clearly is the space surrounding us that the fog refused to fill.

"There." she says, probably for my benefit. She looks to me, "The Mist has covered the area. It should erode the Caster's familiars."

Wait, the caster? "Is that what she is, this caster?" So she really is a witch. "And what is this 'mist'? Who are you?" I'm tired of not knowing.

"Please wait _Father_. We will explain everything, but only after _Father _is safe." And she really does seem to regret it from the look on her face. "We will explain after we take care of Caster."

As much as I'd like to get the answers now, she has a point. "Fine, just as long as you explain all this."

With a nod she disappears into the dark fog.

* * *

Watching the Servant Assassin destroy her familiars, Caster began to formulate how best to use her future Servant. Her speed and agility were certainly impressive, and her strength acceptable. She also seemed to handle the number of the Dragon Bone Warriors well. The only scruple about the Servant was the feel of her.

There was a... newness, one might say. A youth to her that was not because of her looks. Caster reasoned that this Heroic Spirit, whomever she may be, had not been one for long. Her legend must have only ascended recently, relative to herself or that Lancer that had been running about the city. The Assassin's presence simply wasn't as powerful, regardless of her Class.

When the fog began to envelop the temple grounds, Caster had scoffed, seeing it as a wasted effort to hide. But when her familiars within it began to be destroyed en masse, far faster than the girl had managed before, Caster quickly sent a gust of wind at the fog to blow it away. A large swath was cleared, and revealed her familiars eroded and breaking. But it did not last long, the fog rolling back in to cover the fallen, and heading for her!

A shield spell was on her lips, ready to cast, when something breaks ahead of the fog, aimed at her. She immediately begins the words for a shield, but fumbles them, her panic and the sudden change causing her tongue to tie.

The thing hits her and Caster screams, a butcher's knife in her shoulder. The fog is quick to follow, dark smog all she can see.

Panicking, Caster takes flight, her spell propelling her towards the sky and out of the fog. Yet it does not. No matter how far she ascends, no matter the direction, it was like she barely moved at all. Then she suddenly hits the ground, crashing to the floor with a heavy thud. When had she gotten close to the ground? Disoriented, Caster slowly picks herself up, taking out the knife, looking around as she assessed her surroundings. The fog was all that she could she, to the point that sunlight was blotted out. Even the ground she was standing on was obscured.

It wasn't hard to guess what this was. A Noble Phantasm. It's effects were apparent, for even now she could feel the fog sapping her strength, stealing the speed and strength from her movements. The loss of direction and the seeming endlessness of the fog were likely to keep targets inside it.

She cursed Assassin. She cursed the bounded fields that should have insured her victory. They did little good if the enemy came from inside them!

She paused, a hunch as to the nature of this Noble Phantasm on her mind. She stretched out her senses, examining the fog. Yes! The fog was itself a bounded field. Designed to slow its victims and to keep them lost in the fog, to... conceal...

Dread filled Caster at that moment.

"_Maria._"

And then there was only pain.

* * *

I had only been sitting for maybe a minute when the fog began to lighten. I look over to the lantern that the girl had left and found it fading away like the mist. That could mean one of two things: either she had won, or she had lost.

I struggle to stand, my head feeling like pins and needles. Not good, I'm losing too much blood. Fighting off the light-headedness and pain from my cuts, I stand.

By the time I'm sure I won't fall over and look up, almost all the fog is gone, the only remaining bits of it being a light mist hugging the ground. It's easy to see the girl and the witch, who were now only ten meters away.

Th girl looked no worse than before, her eyes cold and calculating as she stared at the body of the witch before her. The woman was lying prone on the ground, and from the growing pool of blood under her, heavily injured. Dead most likely.

Hopefully a Soul Reaper would come by soon to take care of her. I'd rather not imagine what the witch would be like as a hollow.

I was about to call the girl over so we could leave, because I certainly didn't want to be around to explain why I was found close by a corpse, when I saw him come out of the temple. A man dressed in a green suit was running to the girl, fists raised to attack.

I don't know if he was as strong as that woman or not, but I could tell he was fast, faster than anything considered "normal". The girl was facing away from the temple, so hadn't seen or heard him, given the lack of any noise from his running strides. I wasn't about to chance letting him get the jump on that girl.

"WATCH OUT!" I yell my warning, hoping she'd react in time.

She turns to look at me and I see her concern again. Maybe to see if I was alright? But she turns again toward wear the man is running, eyes hardening again as she did so. How can someone make such a complete shift of emotions?

But the shout also makes the man notice me, as now he's running for me!

I notice the girl's eyes widen seeing the enemy going after me now and starts running after him, hoping to stop him, but I have to ignore her. I ready myself in spite of my wounds, because I could recognize the look in the man's eyes as he came closer.

He was a killer, and he was going to reach me first.

Just as I get my guard up, he's in front of me. The adrenaline speeds up my perception, and instead of the blur I had expected, I can see his attack coming. He's throwing a right hook, and I move to block. But just as I get my arms into position, my instincts scream.

The fist that would have been blocked instead bends out of the way, now heading for my chest!

All this I can see with my adrenaline enhanced eyes, and feel with my battle-trained instincts, but can my body move to keep up?

I jump back, watching the strike as it comes closer and closer to where my sternum is, the center of my chest. Because all my focus was on that hand, I notice the glowing red tattoo atop its palm. But I can't make any guesses as to its shape as I watch the finger's of the man's hand come ever closer to my chest, and I don't have any doubts about what kind of damage they can do.

If I don't evade this attack, I'll be killed.

Metal flashes in the corner of my eye, as a cleaver blade comes down between me and certain death. The hand pulls back, the man retreating a meter to get out of the girl's immediate range.

I take the moment to breath, having expelled it in my jump. I sag a little, the moment to stop my jack-hammering heart taking away some of the adrenaline that was the only thing keeping me going. My headache was coming back. My body was crying out in pain from my cuts and battered bones. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep going.

I look down in front of me and see silvery white hair. "Thanks." I mutter to the girl now in front of me, each of her hands holding a butcher's knife. I look up to get a better look at the man.

He had adopted a stance that I had never seen before. He was leading with his left side, left arm held at a right angle and kept down and across his body. His right arm was up and coiled back, ready to fly out into a punch. Both hands had their fingers closed, but not to the point they were closed fists. He was as tall as me, a rare thing. Short black hair and black eyes, his face angular and sharp. He was wearing a matching pair of green pants and green tie to go with his suit. A white dress shirt and brown shoes finished the look.

Overall, he was a severe man, his stance solid like a mountain. But what I found most troubling was his eyes. They were dull, blank. This man, whoever he was, had no true purpose. Nothing to gain, nothing to lose, he simply existed because he did. There was no drive, no motivation. Just... nothing...

Something flashes behind the man just as he leaps to the side, and lightning screams at us.

It hits the girl with enough force to send her flying into my body, and I hear the crack and feel the pain of bones breaking. I wrap my arms around her instinctively. We're sent flying, meters away as the girl and I scream out our pain. We land roughly on the ground, tumbling a bit before stopping on my left side.

Wearily, I open my eyes to find the man and that witch across from us. The woman had more than one ball of light charged around her, and I could see lightning cackling in her hands. Damn, she was playing dead then? Thankfully, she looked as beat up as I felt. Deep gashes carved her torso, while smaller cuts littered her body. She was having to take several deep breathes as well. She's thanking the man now, a Souchiro or something.

I tried to get up, to move, but all my body managed to do is a weak twitch. We needed to get out of here! It was obvious what would happen to me, and the witch seemed determined to turn the girl into some sort of slave. But the more I tried, the more apparent it was. It was useless, my body had given up. And as my vision blurred, I knew I wasn't going to stay conscious long either.

But movement from my arms told me the girl was somehow still able to fight. Panting and cringing in pain, the girl struggles out of my arms into a kneeling position between me and our would-be killers.

"_Th-... The Mi... Mist_" She struggled to say, her voice making the pain she was in all too apparent. I hear the witch scream, and the last thing I see is the encroaching fog.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Local Priest Isn't Your Friend**

***EDIT* Thank you Vandenbz for pointing out some typos!**

* * *

Within the grounds of Ryudou Temple, Caster believed she knew all. That there was nothing that she could not discern within the bounds of her 'temple'. That no current magi of this age could pierce her barriers or Servant that could enter without her knowing.

But throughout the entire battle, from her botched attempted at murder to Assassin's and her unexpected Master's escape, there were observers. Familiars, to be specific; worms and various winged insects to be more so.

The magus behind the familiars was ancient by the terms of normal human life, with all the knowledge and experience such an existence would imply. With patience and selective sacrifice of familiars, he had been able to position a fair few within the grounds of the temple. Not as many as he'd like, but it was nothing worth exposing the few that were there, and they provided enough information to keep him comfortably informed on the Caster.

He had never felt too comfortable with the Class. Why summon a more powerful magus than oneself? There was too great a chance for them to discover the true purpose of the War and try to hijack the ritual for themselves. There were also ways to get around the problem of Command Spells. He should know, he had designed them.

So as Zouken Matou watched Caster begin the ritual to summon her own Servant, he couldn't help but feel vindicated that some of his worries had become realized.

_'I will have to watch this one closely.'_ he thought. Indeed, this Caster seemed to be unknowingly set on justifying all his concerns over her Class. First the consumption of prana from the citizens, barely towing the line of exposing the War, and now this.

Although, he was curious what sort of Servant she could summon. It had obviously never occurred to either Justica, Nagato, or himself at the time, that a Servant would try to summon their own Servant when a slot was still available, so the researcher in him was curious of the results.

Zouken was only marginally disappointed when the boy his familiars had informed him of had interrupted the Servant's ritual. He would admit being curious as to why the boy was visiting the temple; perhaps a tourist?

_'A school project? Neither Shinji or Sakura have mentioned anything. He must be from a different town.'_ Not that he really cared much about that worthless boy's or Sakura's school life, but he liked to know what they were doing and where they'd be. It made keeping track of them easier. Essential given the times.

The Holy Grail War starting so early was a nuisance that had disrupted his plans for his vessel. She still wasn't broken. There were cracks for sure, and given time he knew he could whittle Sakura down, build her back up into a perfect vessel for his purposes, but the Grail manifesting early ruined that. His plan to make himself immortal would have to be adjusted now, there may even be a chance of it not happening...

_'But it __will__ happen. This setback is minor at best.'_ It really was, in the grand scheme of things, but even the smallest of errors can ruin the whole. And regardless, he had waited for far too long, worked too hard, to let something as minor as an early start stop him.

Sudden movement catches his attention, and looking through the familiars placed by the gate, he sees that the boy had dodged a stab from the Caster.

_'Surprisingly bold, given the lengths she's gone to keep herself hidden.' _Zouken thought, committing the Servant's peculiar dagger to memory. _'Most likely a Noble Phantasm.' _

More interesting than Caster's spontaneous attack and dagger was that the boy had actually dodged. Caster may have been the weakest of the Servants physically, but a Servant was still beyond human capability. Just who was this boy?

Again, the boy evades death, instead getting a likely crippling injury. Still, it was more than what most could manage. But the maneuver spoke of experience...

"Hehe." The ancient magus chuckles, seeing the boy punch the witch. Truly this boy was one in a million. A shame though, that he'd likely be killed now. A Servant's pride is not to be taken lightly.

As he guessed, the witch no longer held back, and incanted a spell he could not recognize. Zouken watched the boy get up and yell out his defiance of fate with a smile. _'Such fire... He'd have made a good host.'_

Then the light of a summoning shone and the circle from before reappeared. Caster's yell of 'impossible', the look on the boy's face...

"Hehehe... Hahaha!" Zouken's laughter echoed throughout the catacombs, the sound dry and sharp, steeped in vindictiveness. The absurdity of it all was too great. What were the chances of some random boy hijacking a ritual to summon a Heroic Spirit, especially from a legendary magus? And by a fairly ordinary boy at that! Getting over his laughter, he watches the new Servant appear.

_'…Interesting.' _The Servant was... peculiar. A prepubescent girl, Assassin no less? He was almost ready to write her off as a fluke, for surely this was not one of the Old Men of the Mountain, when the skeletons rose and she leaped into action.

_'Adequate.'_ Not a complete loss for the boy then. But this was still no Hassan-i-Sabbah. Who was this little girl, to have earned the right to be a Heroic Spirit? To overcome the Grail System and be Assassin?

And then the fog appeared. Zouken had seen her materialize the lantern that was its source and had immediately had his worms burrow into the ground, leaving the remaining few Blade Wing Worms to test the capabilities of what was no doubt Assassin's Noble Phantasm. That the worms died almost immediately after being enveloped was no great loss, and merely left Zouken curious about the fog's properties.

_'Their destruction was delayed upon contact, so perhaps it is designed to slowly weaken targets? And those too weak simply perish.' _reasoned the ancient magus, using another Wing Worm outside and above the temple to keep an eye on the fog._ 'And being Assassin, the Noble Phantasm no doubt helps conceal her. But that could not be all. You would simply have to keep out or escape. Can the Servant manipulate it somehow?' _Zouken questioned.

He received an answer when a bulge came out of the fog, moving erratically before retreating back. _'So Assassin can manipulate the fog. No doubt Caster trying to escape.'_

And then the fog dispersed into a faint mist before disappearing altogether. Bringing the Wing Worm closer and unearthing his other familiars, he saw Assassin standing over the remains of Caster. _'Several deep lacerations across the torso. Smaller ones across the face, arms, and legs. Skill, or possibly another Noble Phantasm?'_

The ensuing fight with what he believed was one of the teachers at Shinji's and Sakura's school was of interesting note, if only for the fact that Caster had obviously reinforced his body. _'Another unusual Master for the War then.'_

After the escape of the Assassin and her Master, Zouken chuckled at the oaths that Caster swore. As he moved his familiars back to their hiding places and retreated his senses from them, he began to draw up all he had seen of this War's Assassin. But...

_'Gone; Nothing. I know I had just seen Servant Assassin, and I know I had speculated on its possible Noble Phantasms. But I recall nothing. I have no idea of what the Servant looks like, how they fight...'_

And in the face of this impossibility, even as Caster herself began to realize this and swore newer, more torturous oaths, Zouken only laughed as he left the catacombs under the Matou Manor.

"A most interesting Servant indeed."

* * *

"Gah!" What happened? Where am I? For moments I simply can't think, the grogginess of sleep contending with my brain's sudden reboot.

But it's because of that I notice I'm in a bed. Taking deep breaths, I wait a little longer to calm down. After my heart stops hammering, I sit up and look around. I'm in my hotel room, and had been under the covers of my bed. Must have thrown them off in my panic. It's dark, the faint red light from the nightstand clock's digital screen dyeing the room dark red. On the other side of the room, I see the white lights of street lights behind the closed blinds.

What time is it? Looking at the digital clock, I read '7:06 PM'. I don't remember getting into bed, but I guess the trip took more out of me than I thought.

"Was all that a dream then?" I ask myself aloud. I've never really been one to remember my dreams. If they've all been like that, I can't say I regret it. Witches? Loli super-soldiers? Kung-fu business men?

"Seems like something Orihime would come up with..." Either I have a mini-Orihime directing my dreams, or being a Shinigami screwed me up in the head something fierce. And I'm not sure which is worse.

My stomach decides to end the debate, growling out to be fed. Fine, I'm fairly sure I saw a burger place around here when I came in. Moving to get out of bed, my knee knocks into something.

Weird. Looking at the spot on my left, I see a lump under the covers. I give whatever it is another tap of my knee, pushing it a little as I try to think of what it feels like. Absently, I also lean over to the nightstand to turn on the lamp sitting there. With a click, tinted yellow light fills the room, and after a brief moment for my eyes to adjust I give the lump a harder push.

"mmm..." The lump murmured, and from the pitch I knew it was a girl.

Okay... What the hell?

I reach out with my left hand to tear the covers off whoever is next to me, ready to grill them about why they're in my bed, because I'm sure I came in alone. "Who the-" The yell catches in my throat and dies, as I get a good look at my hand. Rather, what was there...

_...top of the palm is glowing... some sort of tattoo..._

_...all my focus was on that hand... the glowing red tattoo atop its palm..._

On the top of my palm was a red tattoo, glowing faintly with its own light. It consisted of three images. The first was something I would always remember, no matter how different it looked. The Substitute's Badge skull. The lines of it were smoother and ended in points, and the teeth were connected to the rest of the skull by a jawline now. It looked more than anything like a Hollow's mask, but the shape of it, the eyes, the crooked smile I always thought it had... They were all the same. Along its left and right side were two butcher's knives with curved grips, poised to cut the non-existent neck of the skull.

I nearly rip the blanket off the bed, and see the little girl. My hand drops in my shock, not quite believing what I had just thought a dream to be actually true. Not sure what else to do, my eyes take in her form, examining her every feature.

She was curled up like an unborn baby, her back facing me, revealing that her waistcoat was backless. Her knees brought up and held in place by her arms that she had wrapped around them, head tilted forward so that her forehead kissed her knees. Both her glove and hand wrappings, as well as her boots, were gone, revealing more of her pale skin than before. I also notice that on her shoulder is an ovular tattoo the color of a fresh bruise, a purplish red. She was also missing the lower, larger plates of armor she had been wearing before. Her white-silver hair was mussed-up, implying she had been here for awhile.

I was struck again by the sheer innocence of her appearance, her outfit, or serious lack of one, doing nothing to diminish it. It was hard to comprehend her as the cold and capable fighter that she had been at the temple.

But some things couldn't be ignored, at least for long. My brain seems to finally process that not only is the girl wearing less than she had been before, but she was in my bed.

"Gah!" I yell, practically leaping out of the bed. Unfortunately, the covers impede this and I end up falling to the floor head first.

I let out a groan of pain, just as I hear the girl moan a little and movement on the sheets. Quickly I turn around as I sit up and see that the girl has also sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the side of her hand. It also put me eye-level with her bare thighs and panties.

My face heats up and I quickly look away, embarrassed I had looked there, no matter that it was accidental. But my indignation quickly swells. "Put on some clothes!" I order her. And after a moment's thought, "And get out of my bed!"

There's no immediate reply, only more rustling of sheets and the creek of the bed frame, then more silence. I'm debating looking at her to see if she heard me, when I hear her speak.

"_Father_?" she asks softly, the odd way she says it once again registering as both 'Father' and 'Master'. It also came from behind me.

Yelping in surprise, I lunge to the side, toward the door to the hotel room. Turning around to face the girl, I yell "Don't do that!". Never mind that I had no idea how she did it.

"Do what?" she asks back, tilting her head to the side.

"Sneak up on me!" I answer, then remember her state of dress. I cover my eyes with my hands. "And put on some clothes already!"

The girl looks down at herself, as if to confirm whether she is indeed wearing clothes or not. She even goes as far as lightly pulling the ends of her waistcoat and strings of her panties to make sure her eyes aren't lying to her. Trying to look at anything else, I notice on her other shoulder an exact duplicate of the tattoo I saw before, color and all. The silver haired girl turns her gaze to me next, her eyes and face showing she was confused. "But I am wearing clothes."

"You're just wearing a coat and your freaking panties!" I shouted before pointing at her black panties with my right hand. Now seeing them in full view once more, I could feel a blush begin to light up my face.

"Is that a problem _Father_?" She asked once again, not even comprehending what was wrong. What the Hell was wrong with her? Of course it was a problem!

"I'm a guy damn it!" I shouted as I covered my right eye once more. "You're not supposed to wear that type of thing in front of a guy!" I peaked through my fingers for a second and saw that she kept staring at me curiously, as if the concept was new to her. As if this common sense was something entirely new to her. Growling to myself in frustration, I lift myself off the floor and go to my bag, rummaging through it before throwing her a random shirt.

"J-just put this on!" I waited for a second, the heat of my blush subsiding as I hear the ruffling of cloth. Once it stopped, I turn around. The girl was wearing one of my older t-shirts. A white shirt with gray sleeves and a red skull that kind of looked like the one on my badge. Huh, I never really noticed that before. Anyway, the shirt was baggy and it came down to the middle of her thighs, thus covering her exposed panties and bringing some peace to my mind. She still stared at me blankly, still not understanding why I gave it to her.

Oddness aside, at least she wasn't like Yoruichi and Matsumoto

"Okay…" I breathed out before pulling up one of the chairs in the room and sitting down on it. I then looked at the girl with the most serious expression I could make and asked, "You said you'd answer my questions, right?" When she nodded and gave a 'yep' in agreement, I continued. "Who are you, who was that witch, why did she try to kill me, and what's the deal with all this 'Master' stuff?"

* * *

"So..." I began with closed eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest. "You're a 'Servant' called Assassin…" 'Assassin' nodded in confirmation. "That woman was Caster, and the guy who beat me up was her 'Master'…" She nodded once more. "You brought me back to my hotel room after you looked at my room key and followed my scent..." Her shoulders tensed slightly. Did she think I was angry at her over that? While it was certainly an odd way to follow a trail, I wasn't going to complain. I'd take waking up in a bed over on the ground in some forest any day. "It's fine." I tell her, and the girl's, Assassin I remind myself, tension disappears. I can even see the beginnings of a smile on her lips. "And now I'm in this 'Holy Grail War' as your Master, and me and you need to fight against six other Servants and Masters and beat them to get the 'Holy Grail', which will grant us any wish we want."

"Yep, that's right." Assassin replied instantly, now looking into my eyes with her gray ones. She was _really_ serious about this whole thing, and I couldn't really pick up any lie from her throughout her whole story. But really, who could make up something so elaborate as practically raising to life spirits in what amounts to a battle royale? Probably Orihime, but I really doubt anyone else has that warped an imagination. So either this was just a delusional Plus, whom I shouldn't be even capable or seeing or hearing anyway, or she really was a revived 'Heroic Spirit' summoned to fight in this war of wizards, witches, and other famous heroes.

"Alright, I believe you." I sigh out, "In all honestly, this isn't the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"What do you mean _Father_?" Assassin asked curiously as she tilted her head once more. With her eyes wide open, she reminded me of an owl. But her name for me brought to mind the title for the wizards fighting this war, the 'Masters'. Her title rubbed me the wrong way.

"Stop calling me that." I tell her, earning me another blink. "Why do you keep calling me 'Father'? I'm not your dad."

"_Father_ is _Father_." Assassin proclaimed, as if that was the most obvious answer in the world. "You are the one who summoned us, thus you are our _Father_."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. What kind of logic was that? "Look, just call me Ichigo okay?"

"_Father_ is _Father_." She insisted, this time with a hint of stubbornness in her soft voice. Okay, so I wasn't going to win this argument right now. Well, might as well move along…

"Look." I said, making Assassin look back at me. "I'm not a magician, or whatever you said these other Masters are." I briefly wondered if being a Shinigami would have counted. Not like it really mattered anyway, I hadn't bothered with spells back then. "I'm just an ordinary guy. So are there any special rules or something for this?"

"The overseer of the war should have the information, _Father_." Assassin mentioned as she stepped off the bed. "If you wish, we can bring you to where they are located."

Well, at least I won't be flying blind into this… "Sure, we'll go. Just let me get dressed."

It was as I passing the mirror that something odd caught my attention from the corner of my eye. Going back to take a closer look, I nearly jump and yelp in shock at what I see.

There was a new addition on my body. Several, in fact.

The injuries weren't too surprising, since that fight hadn't been a dream after all. That Caster lady had done quite the number on me with that cutting wind of hers. What really surprised me were the stitches. Black threads had been weaved through all the cuts, and from my own experience of watching my father work on some of the more serious cases that had come through my family's clinic before they headed to the hospital, I could tell that the stitch work was haphazard and sloppy. Some of the wounds hadn't even been fully closed.

I freaked out of course, who wouldn't?

"The hell is this?!" I demand, looking to Assassin for answers. The girl adopts the look of a child that had been caught red-handed. Her head lowered, silver hair hiding her eyes, as she uses her left hand to hold her opposite arm to her side.

"_Father _was hurt, so we fixed him up." She said bashfully. "Is _Father_... angry?" The question was barely heard, her voice was so soft; steeped in worry and fear of my response.

I calm down. I wasn't angry, just surprised and reacted like I usually did. I sigh, "It's fine Assassin." I tell her. "Thanks."

Assassin quickly looks back up, surprised. "Really?" she asks, and I can see a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Yeah." I assure her, fiddling with the ones on my hand. Turning to face the mirror again, I begin to stretch, testing the stitching. I bring my arms across my chest and extend them above my head, twist my abdomen left and right, and bend over a bit, but the stitching holds. Standing upright, I turn to Assassin and tell her, "You did a good job." And I meant it. Despite looking terrible, the sutures held. I didn't even feel any irritation from the stretches. Part of the reason I was surprised at all from seeing them was because I don't feel them. If not for seeing them or brushing my hands over them, I would have never known they were there.

"Yep! We're good at stitching." Assassin says happily with a nod, a smile on her face.

Seeing her so happy brings a small smile to my face. Looking down at myself though, a thought occurs to me and I can't help but chuckle.

"What is it _Father_?" Assassin asks.

I shake my head. "It's nothing Assassin." I tell her, but to myself I mutter, "I just feel like I should check for missing organs."

I didn't expect Assassin to hear me. "We didn't take anything _Father_, we promise."

I couldn't tell if she was making fun out of the comment, or actually assuring me she hadn't.

* * *

I guess Dan Brown was right, the church is part of a conspiracy cover-up. Just not over a Jesus bloodline.

The walk to where the overseer was hadn't been too bad, considering I hadn't known where we were going. At least we hadn't had to cross the river.

At first I had been worried about anyone seeing her, but she simply slipped into what she called 'astral form', and simply faded out until she looked like a plus without a chain of fate. That led to asking her how she got me to my hotel room undetected, because I knew she couldn't have carried me like that. She then told me that as an Assassin, she had a skill known as Presence Concealment, which hid her until she attacked.

Anyway, I let her lead, seeing as she had brought it up to begin with and seemed to know where to go.

And here we are, standing outside before a church on a hill.

"You're sure this is where this 'overseer' person is?" I had to ask, not quite believing a church, Roman Catholic if I had to guess, was involved with magic of all things. Weren't they all 'do not suffer a witch to live'?

"We are sure _Father_." Assassin replied. "The Grail gave us knowledge of the overseer. They will be the priest here."

"Good enough for me then." I reply with a shrug of my shoulders before walking toward the church, Assassin right behind me.

But as we drew closer to the building, an anxiousness welled up in me with each step closer to the building I took. There didn't seem to be any reason for it, nothing about the building stood out to me to cause it. Thinking on it, trying to discover the source, brought up the memory of a place that had also made me anxious. A white palace in the middle of a vast desert, in a place of eternal night; Las Noches.

This is not that place, I tell myself. It's a church, and there wasn't going to be a megalomaniac living there. But, there was no harm in being cautious.

As we reach the doors, I look to Assassin. "Keep to spirit form. We can't be sure about this priest, even if he is the overseer."

"Yes _Father_." the Servant replied with a nod.

I had noticed through the windows that the lights inside were on, so I didn't bother waiting outside and entered.

The inside of the church was very... church-y, I guess. Rows of long, wooden pews, nice white walls, and a place in front of the pews where the priest would preach. I've never been to a church before, so I didn't have much to compare it to, but I'd say this was a nice building.

But I didn't come here to admire this place.

"Hey, priest! I need to talk to ya!" I call out, walking up to the altar. There was no one besides me and the astral Assassin.

A few seconds pass before one of the doors by the altar opens, and out walks who I assume is the priest I'm looking for. He's tall, a little taller than me, with long arms to match and sharp physique. The priest wore what I had seen similar priests wear back in Karakura, black vestments with matching black pants and shoes, with an ankle-length robe that was a dark, navy blue. I vaguely recall it being known as a cassock. Hanging from his neck and resting on the man's chest was a golden cross. He wore his brown hair in the beginnings of a mullet, and his matching eyes were dull.

Dull like Caster's Master.

The priest also has a presence about him that made me wary and on edge. The best way to describe it was to say it was heavy, but there was no intent behind it. It was simply there. It reminded me of my first exposure to an enemy's spiritual pressure, but weaker. It made me label this man 'dangerous'.

"Welcome, I am Kirei Kotomine." He introduces himself, his deep baritone almost echoing in the empty chapel. "By what chance do you come to this house of God?"

I set aside my feelings on the man. He probably needed to be dangerous to handle something like a secret magic war. And while dangerous didn't necessarily mean enemy, I'd keep him on my watch-list. I lifted up my left hand, wrapped in bandages I'd gotten at a twenty-four hour store on the way here, and unraveled them enough so that the priest could see the no longer glowing, but plainly red tattoo under them.

"I'm here to see the overseer." I tell him plainly, silently hoping this was who I needed to see and not some other, uninvolved priest.

I notice his eyes narrow by the smallest of margins, and a glimmer in his eyes that I can't quite identify, it being so brief.

"I see." He says once he looks back up. "So you are to be the fourth Master. What is your name?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki, and I've got questions." I reply.

"Oh? But do you not know what you've entered into, young magus?" he asks, a hint of a smirk on his face and condescending amusement in his his tone.

My scowl gets a little deeper at that. "That's the thing, I'm not a magus, wizard, or whatever you want to call it. I'm just an ordinary human."

Kotomine's only reaction is to blink, as he no doubt goes over what I just said. Then his smirk changes to a small smile. "Truly?" he asks. I only nod to answer him. "Well then, this is most interesting. And how did this come to pass?"

I gave him a brief summary of what happened at the temple. By the end, he seemed even more amused.

"So the Caster attempted to bend the rules and summon her own Servant? And you somehow hijacked the ritual and managed to escape with your life intact with your Servant." He chuckles after saying it.

"Pretty much."

"Very well, wait here a moment. I will back shortly." So saying, he heads back to the door he had appeared from.

As I wait, I look to the still astralized Assassin. She had taken to standing to the left and behind where I was as I had talked to the priest. Nodding my head, I directed her closer and in front of me. I didn't really think the priest would try anything, but having Assassin close wasn't a bad idea.

Just as Assassin settled into her new spot, Kotomine came back through the door holding a rather plain, leather-bound book. It look like a day-planner more than anything. He moves to stand by the altar and gestures me to come closer.

Laying the book on the altar, the priest speaks first. "Normally it is standard procedure to keep civilians out of the War, and it is the responsibility of the Masters to make sure that the War is kept secret by any means necessary."

I tense up at this, and I see Assassin tense as well.

Kotomine sees my reaction and smirks. "Do not worry Ichigo Kurosaki, the fact that you bear the Command Spells exempts you from this." I relax a bit as he continues. "To begin, how much has your Servant explained what the Holy Grail War is?"

"That it's pretty much a battle royale between seven resurrected spirits and magicians for any kind of wish they want."

Kotomine closes his eyes and gives a brief chuckle. "An apt enough description, if terribly simplified."

I cross my arms and deepen my scowl again. "So? What more is there to it then?" It seemed pretty self-explanatory to me.

"The purpose, the participants? Would you not want to know who you are fighting and why?" The priest asks, his eyes locked onto mine.

"The purpose is obvious: for a wish. And I don't think everyone's just going to write down their names somewhere like its a tournament."

"The wish is merely a byproduct of the prize, the Holy Grail." he tells me, and I have to pause as I mull that over.

The Holy Grail, as in Jesus Christ, King Arthur, and all of that. That Holy Grail? I ask as much.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. It is one of many artifacts the church has investigated. But the fact there are even Servants, that heroes from the past have been nearly resurrected and controlled by mere mortals proves the Holy Grail's existence and power."

I nod, but one thing he said bothers me. "What do you mean by 'heroes from the past'?"

"Did your Servant not tell you? A Servant is a spirit that was so revered, or so feared, by humanity that their souls ascended the natural cycle, coming to reside in a place referred to as the Throne of Heroes."

My eye widen at that. How could that be possible? Souls lingered here in the human world until either a shinigami came and performed a soul burial, or were either eaten by hollows or became one themselves. I'm fairly sure Soul Society would know of this throne place. I briefly think of Assassin; who was she then? If her name was anything to go by...

Kotomine interrupts my thoughts. "They are empowered by those that believe in them, and their own deeds in life. Even so, the seven Servants are divided into their own classes, to protect their identities from enemies. For each legend lays out how these heroes fell."

The priest then reaches down and opens the leather-bound book he'd brought. Looking down at it, I see what look like a thin deck of cards that had been between the cover and the first page.

Flipping over the first card onto the table, Kotomine begins describing what is shown: a knight wearing full plate armor and bearing a sword. "The Saber, masters of the sword. They are regarded as the best of the classes."

Another card is flipped next to it, showing a man dress in leather armor and nobleman's clothes. "The Lancer, among the fastest of the classes. They are masters of spears and pole-arms."

Flip; a woman wearing bits of steel armor and a red dress, wielding bow and arrow. "The Archer, masters of the bow. They are noted for possessing particularly powerful Noble Phantasms."

I ignore the new term for now as the priest flips another card, this one showing an old man with a long, white beard in obscuring robes and carrying a book and staff. This one I think I know. "The Caster, masters of great and often lost magic. Though they are physically weaker than most Servants, they are still beyond human standards and can be quite crafty."

The next card showed a figure that was more beast than man. Heavily tattooed and wearing little more than rags, the creature wielded a massive sword and had a head like a wolf's. "The Berserker, heroes that went mad in life and trade their sanity now for more power. They are powerful, but are hard to maintain and control."

Next was an armored figure and black robes on some kind of chariot and holding the reigns for something not shown. "The Rider, masters of mounted combat. The steeds that helped them through life now give them exceptional power as Noble Phantasms."

Finally, the last card depicted an equally chilling sight as the Berserker, but more because of what it meant. The figure was a man wrapped in black leggings and gauntlets wielding wicked, black daggers. His head and face were covered in black cloth and a bone white, skull-shaped mask. I shouldn't have been too surprised, given the girl's title. "The Assassin, masters of stealth and killing from the shadows. Because of their lack of legends, Assassins are more suited to dealing with Masters than Servants."

"What do mean by that?" I immediately ask.

For some reason the priest looks pleased. "Just as I said. Assassin class Servants do not have great legends, and are thus naturally weaker than other Servants."

"But why target the Masters?"

"Because they are the only thing linking Servants to this world."

I look down in thought. It makes sense; a team is only as strong as its weakest link, and naturally that would be the human partners. I may have slayed hollows, but that was really purifying them and sending the souls to Soul Society or to be reborn. I'd never fought humans with the intent to kill, and this was too close to cold-blooded murder than I was comfortable with.

"Does this frighten you, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Kotomine breaks through my thoughts again, and I look up sharply. "Do you fear for your life?"

Hearing that, I remember the advice of a dear friend.

_"Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate."_

"No, I'm not afraid." I cut off the priest from whatever else he was going to say, glaring at him. "I may not have had a choice in this, but I'm not backing out. Besides, those 'gas leaks' and murders have been really Servants right?" Kotomine nods at the question. "Then I can't let them or their Masters have the Grail, can I?"

"So you would fight to protect innocents?" The taller man asks. Again there's a look in his eyes I can't quite make out.

"It's my name, isn't it?" I ask rhetorically, smirking.

The priest chuckles, but it seems condescending. "Indeed it is. Very well, I acknowledge you as the fourth Master of this Fifth Holy Grail War."

"The Fifth?" I ask. There's been more than one of these?

"Indeed, Ichigo Kurosaki. The first War took place nearly two centuries ago. The last was merely a decade."

Interesting, I guess. "Anything else?"

Oddly, he seems disappointed about something. "Two things. The first is this." He closes and hands me the book on the altar. "As a civilian, I find you may need this more than the others. As you encounter and learn more about your enemies, the information will be recorded here and available for review. You will find it needed as you try to learn the identities of the other Servants."

As soon as I take the book, a tingle runs through my arm. Opening it to a random page, I find a photo of the witch, Caster. Huh, magic book. Closing the book, I look back up. "Okay, what's the other thing?"

"Masters are required to reveal to me the Class of their Servants."

I debate lying, but decide to be honest. "Assassin."

Kotomine actually looks surprised to here that. "Interesting. Before you leave, I must state again that the War must be kept secret. There are to be no witnesses."

I glare harder at him, understanding what the priest is implying. "That shouldn't be too much of a problem then, should it?" Of course, I'm referring to Assassin's stealth. There was no way I was killing innocents.

"Very well. Rejoice then, for your wish shall be granted."

I ignore the question I want to ask to that. "Whatever. I'm leaving." And with that, I leave.

Once outside and a fair bit away from the church doors, I look to Assassin, who had been walking beside me silently. Who was she? How could a little girl like her become famous enough to be known as a killer? Who did she kill, and why? The fact that she was summoned as Assassin more than likely meant that she was viewed negatively. Not many people thought of assassins kindly. Looking at her though, I have a hard time picturing it. I was like trying to picture Yuzu with Kenpachi's blood lust...

I shiver at the mere idea.

So as much as I want to ask now, I'll wait. Maybe tomorrow. "Let's go to hotel, I'm beat."

Assassin nods. "Okay _Father_."

Sigh. "I told you not to call me that."

"_Father _is _Father._"

* * *

We watch the men as they go about their routines. Some stand around with guns, others are laughing, others are drinking. Still more are snorting or injecting, others are taking advantage of the whores and desperate. All of them are covered in tattoos, and all them have the same stink on their souls.

None of them are like _Father._

_Father_ is kind and warm and pure. We haven't known _Father_ long and _Father_ doesn't always show it, but we know. _Father's_ soul is warm and tries to wrap around us, protect us, but it can't. It's too small. It used to be big, but _Father_ did something to _Father's_ soul that made it smaller. We think _Father_ protected someone else, because that's what fathers are supposed to do. They protect the mother and children.

Not like the fathers from before, when we were alive. Those fathers drank and smoke in the bars, and they beat the whores and stayed away from their families, cheating on wives. Like the men here.

Not like _Father_.

_Father_ is kind, because _Father_ gave us a treat after leaving the dark church. It was sweet and good and didn't taste like the garbage we ate before. Father let us share the bed, even though we don't need to sleep. We've never had a bed before, only the alleys.

_Father_ makes us feel safe.

We didn't know fathers could be like this, like mothers, but that's okay because we like Father.

But... _Father_ is pure... and we are not.

We are dark and tainted. We resented and hated the Mothers, and we killed them. Just like we're killing the men here.

"Gaah...!"

"Ugh... I, I can't... breathe..."

"S-Someone! The door! Get the door open!"

They stumble and crawl and cry and choke as The Mist finds them and hides them and hurts them. We find the first one easy, because The Mist is us and we are The Mist, and we slit his throat and cut into the chest and pull out his heart and then we eat it and his soul. And now we move to the next.

"Shit! It hurts, it hurts! Shit!"

"H-Help! Someone help me!"

Because _Father_ can't keep us here, _Father's_ soul can't feed us. We have to eat others souls to stay. Stay to protect _Father_ because _Father_ would protect us. Protect us from the War when we should protect him.

"Ghah...!"

"Hack...!"

But _Father_ can't know, mustn't know what we do. Because _Father_ will be angry at us, hate us, despise us, and we don't know how to handle that. Don't know, can't know, won't know because _Father_ will never find out. About what we're doing, will do, and who we are. _Father_ can never find out that. If Father knows we are we, _Father_ will hate us and be cold.

So we'll protect _Father_. From the Servants and Masters and Truth.

*Gulp* "Prana replenished."

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone, long time no see! Yes, I FINALLY updated. For those of you hoping for another chapter for my other stories... I got nothing, sorry. I'll be sticking with Stitches for the foreseeable future. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't expect another chapter anytime soon, but I'll try to update soon than I did this one. I'm also working on a one-shot for Corvus' "Across the Throne of Heroes" titled 'The Colors', so keep an eye out for it!**

**If you review, be sure to point out any typos I might have missed! I've already went through the last two chapters.**

**Good Luck in Life and Writing!  
Farmer Kyle**


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